Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Who's the pot, and who's the kettle?

Even after all that was done to embarrass and shame the priests of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, the Brokeback Rectory crown still allows His Excellency, Rembert G. Weakland to address the priests at their annual assembly) sadly, but interestingly enough, called the "Priests Pajama Party."

Thankfully for us, the man has no shame and no shortage of arrogance and actually published his homily for my edification. Would you believe that the man has his own website? I fear that when the Nantucket memoirs get posted my parental filters will not let me visit the site, but for now things are safe (at least from the Nantucket limerick aspect).

Here are some of His Excellency's snippets:

CRISIS OF FAITH IN THE CHURCH:

If one asks about Faith in God the Father, I would have to say statistics show our people do have such Faith, even though some might be struggling with the relationship between Faith and Science.

This from one of the great rationalists of our time. The +RGW penchant for distinctions and drivel reflects his desire to be more closely associated with Thomas Jefferson than St. Benedict.

If we ask about Faith in Jesus Christ, I would say that, with some watering down that comes with such plays as "Jesus Christ Superstar" and the like, Jesus would find Faith on this earth if he came now.

Oh yea, and I am sure that Paul Marcoux's Christodrama, with yourself as benefactor and producer, was going to stem that tide.

If we ask about Faith in the Holy Spirit, I would say there is not a severe crisis, in fact, there seems to have been a rejuvenation after Vatican Council II of faith in the action of the Spirit in our midst.

But the proof is in the interpretation of how the Spirit will work in the world. If, for His Excellency, the power of the Spirit leads to ecclesial relativism, than we have misinterpreted the Spirit. But if, as in the view of the Church, the Spirit acts for the sake of universal unity, you can begin to see the differences between the Weaklandistas (Voice of the Faithful, Call to Action, Women's Ordination Conference) and the orthodox faithful (you and me!).

But, if one were to ask about Faith in the Church, I would have to say there is indeed a crisis. I wonder how many of our faithful, when they recite on Sunday the Nicene Creed, really mean that they believe in the Church. Many tell me that for our people to say sincerely that they believe in the Church is the most difficult of all the creedal statements.

Excuse me while I take some Pepto-Bismol and a handful of Tylenol.

(Insert expletive here), your Excellency...you are referring to credibility and stability. These are the things that people want to ground their lived faith in.

Let us review the Weakland track record:

Parish communities -- dismantled. You insulted the Poles when JPII was at his peak, insulted Blacks when Bp. Perry was consecrated, and used "collaboration as the means to extend the influence of the militant lay women of your diocesan offices.

Churches -- wreckovated.

Priesthood -- shamed and emasculated.

Sexual ethics -- Need I say anything?

Sir, with all due respect, just because masses of people were led astray by you, and the fruit of that leadership and your foibles is distrust of some leaders, does not mean that good Catholics do not have deep devotion to the Church. You are rationalizing.

I need to take a few deep breaths. I will be back later with some more thoughts.